The Benefits of Pilates

When combined with regular walking, cycling, swimming other aerobic exercise Pilates is the perfect all-round method of getting your body back into shape – and keeping it that way – for life. Although it is practiced by leading sports men and women, and a host of celebrities, Pilates is an exercise system from which almost anyone can benefit, regardless of your age or level of fitness

The Mind Body Connection

Working at our studios will help you gain a heightened awareness of what is happening to your body as you move. You will learn to improve your breathing and to integrate breath patterns with everything you do. You will learn about improved postural alignment and how to incorporate these improvements in your everyday life.

Strength and Flexibility

Getting the balance right between stretching and strengthening is where many exercise programmes fail. Too much emphasis on strengthening the front of the body (abs and hip flexors) can result in muscle bunching and overstretched muscles in the back or shoulders. With a programme from COOL Pilates, you’ll be stretching almost as much as you are strengthening. A Pilates workout is intelligently thorough, working right through all the muscle systems. The result, a body which is lengthened as well as strengthened.

Back problems

People with low back problems can benefit from a Pilates regime that helps build strong deep abdominals. In a 1-1 or small group environment at COOL Pilates, you will practice an individually tailored programme which may also involve strengthening the paraspinal muscles, gluteal muscles and inner thighs, together with a series of stretches appropriate to your particular needs. Good core control will enable you to have good postural alignment and stability.

Body conditioning and injury prevention.

If you are a sports or dance enthusiast, then a Pilates programme from COOL Pilates will boost your current regime ensuring that the whole of your body is trained in a balanced and efficient manner. It is often the case that whilst exercising we over recruit muscles to undertake even simple tasks, resulting in injuries. In a Pilates programme from COOL Pilates, we try to find the appropriate effort for the task at hand. By regularly practicing Pilates, you will learn to move more efficiently and with less likelihood of injury.

Rehabilitation

A Pilates programme from COOL Pilates is the perfect way to keep your body in shape during rehabilitation following an injury. Pilates is a safe way to strengthen and prevent re-injury until your doctor or therapist gives you the all clear. Because it is gentle on the joints, it can be extremely beneficial for people with an arthritic condition. It can also help those with MS or Parkinson’s Disease since the retraining of neuro-muscular pathways is at the centre of Pilates work.

Stress management

At COOL Pilates you can enjoy the release that comes from stress management. Deep relaxing breathing as well as flow and concentration are at the heart of Pilates philosophy. We will help you learn to be mindful of the moment and immerse yourself in the movement you are making.